


Six pups

by HockeyShit



Series: Papa Ned [1]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: fluff with light angst, it ends happy though, just a tiny bit of Angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-04-04
Updated: 2019-04-04
Packaged: 2020-01-04 22:33:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 785
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18353066
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/HockeyShit/pseuds/HockeyShit
Summary: “You want no pup for yourself, Jon?” Ned wished he could make a sixth direwolf pup appear with the thought of his other children yet again having something that Jon couldn’t have. It wasn't the first time, it wouldn’t be the last, still, the thought did not sit well with him.The first chapter of A Game of Thrones but from Ned's perspective instead of Bran's





	Six pups

      Ned listened to the argument, he was sure that Winterfell did not need direwolves running around, yet he could not bring himself to tell his sons to kill the pups. The Greyjoy boy had the right of it, there hadn’t been a direwolf south of the wall in hundreds of years. Yet Jon was right as well, there was one, at his feet, and there were five in the arms of his sons. 

      “Lord Stark.” Ned looked up at Jon, hearing his son call him that was always accompanied by a feeling of failure, that he had had to raise his son in a manner that would have Jon call him that. “There are five pups, three male, two female.” the feeling of failure swelled. He knew where his second son was going, he didn’t want to push him, make him explain in front of everyone. Still, he didn’t want to let Jon feel as if his father would jump to the same conclusion.

      “What of it, Jon?” Jon didn’t give anything away in his face. Any feeling he might have at having to explain his meaning was well hidden. Years of practice, that thought too troubled Ned.

      “You have five trueborn children. Three sons, two daughters. The Direwolf is the sigil of your house.” Ned tried to hide the feeling of regret, the feeling of pain at what his son say saying. “ Your children were meant to have these pups. My lord.”  it was the formality that broke Ned’s resolve. How could he say no when his son had spoken so bravely, for the benefit of his siblings to receive nothing of his own. 

      “You want no pup for yourself, Jon?” Ned wished he could make a sixth direwolf pup appear with the thought of his other children yet again having something that Jon couldn’t have. It wasn't the first time, it wouldn’t be the last, still, the thought did not sit well with him. 

      “The direwolf graces the Banners of House Stark, I am no Stark Father.” Ned had to bite back a retort at that, telling Jon everything was tempting in those moments, hearing Jon go from calling him Lord Stark to Father. Robb would never call him Lord Stark.

      He had made up his mind, he would not tell his boys that the wolves would be killed, not after Jon had said all he had in defense of them. Robb spoke up then, about how he’d take care of his pup, Bran echoing him. Ned told them they could keep the pups, but they must take care of them, train them themselves. Ned had them gather the pups so they could get back to Winterfell. 

      Ned walked back to his horse wondering if he could get Jon a pup, after all, Ser Rodrik’s bitch had given birth recently, and he knew other men with dogs. Perhaps he could find someone willing to give up a pup. It would not be the same, and it might further remind Jon of his status in the castle.  Ned wished again that he could will a sixth pup into existence, maybe the pelt of the dead direwolf could be saved, he could give that to Jon, to keep him warm come winter.

      They hadn’t made it far, not even across the bridge when Jon stopped. 

      “What is it, Jon?” Ned stopped beside his son, watched as Jon turned his head to listen. 

      “Can’t you hear it?” Ned tried, but he wasn’t sure what Jon meant. There was the wind the breathing of his horse. But Ned could hear nothing that would cause Jon to stop. “There.” Ned didn’t have time to ask what it was before Jon swung his horse around and returned to the dead direwolf.

      Ned hoped he contained his smile well enough when he saw Jon return with a pup in his arms. “He must have crawled away from the others.” 

      “Or been driven away,” The pup was as white as the snow he has been laying in. Ned was not a superstitious man, he did not put much into signs, but seeing Jon with an albino direwolf pup something stirred in him, thoughts of white blond hair.

      “An albino, this one will die even faster than the others.” Ned wanted to knock the Greyjoy boy off his horse. Theon had never been kind to Jon, Ned understood to a point, and still, it bothered him. 

      “I think not Greyjoy. This one belongs to me.” Ned watched as Jon situated the pup in his furs before he rode forward leaving Theon gaping at him. Ned followed and sent a prayer of thanks to the gods, there had been six pups after all.


End file.
